Leadership, Generations, and Customer Service ~ Appreciative Strategies ®
Dennis is speaking on the topic of Coaching and Mentoring at the PACD Annual Management Summit in State College, PA.
This conference is for PACD members. For additional information please contact PACD via their website at: https://pacd.org/
Are you a responsible coach? Are you serving as a mentor, a coach, or a teacher?
In your workplace role do you find yourself feeling responsible to help guide, motivate, or teach others?
Professional coaches spend decades honing their craft. They are in it to make a difference. Much of their inspiration develops from seeing the results in others.
Is it possible that the coach cares more than the trainee?
Both formally and informally many workplace professionals find themselves assigned to help others. Is it working? Are you making a difference?
It is difficult to feed those who are not hungry. You can set a table full of delicious and nutritious food in front of them, yet, they’ll not indulge.
Is the food terrible or are they just not hungry?
It is true for most things in life. As a general rule, people will only participate fully when they feel the need or have the desire.
Someone who doesn’t want to learn, or see a need to learn, probably won’t learn very much.
Weight loss, exercise, or healthy eating, will mostly come from those who have some desire or a feeling of necessity to create the outcome. Very limited desire yields very limited results.
Can you motivate as a coach? Absolutely, you can. The question often becomes, “For how long?”
Remove the stimulus and you may see the results dwindle.
One role of the coach is to help the person stay accountable. Yet, you likely cannot provide oversight every minute, of every day.
Often, this circles back to the trainee having or developing some level of self-motivation for the cause.
It seems that there must be a level of commitment from the trainee.
What is the responsibility of the coach?
Remember that coaches often gain their own satisfaction or inspiration from helping others succeed. A coached person or trainee who lacks the commitment to the cause may not accomplish much.
The responsible coach may show the path, guide, teach, and even motivate. Yet, they can’t be held accountable to helping someone who consistently fails to do their part.
Be a good coach. Be a good trainee.
A responsible coach won’t waste his or her time.
-DEG
Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSPTM), and culture expert. He is a five-time author and the founder of Appreciative Strategies, LLC. His business focuses on positive human performance improvement solutions through Appreciative Strategies®. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.
There are several choices we make during workplace mentoring. We can do only show and tell and encourage people to memorize the steps or we can invite them to learn more too.
Technically, there is a significant difference between mentoring and coaching. Although the words are often used synonymously, they are different. Professional coaches spend decades honing their craft, mentoring is different, it is much more about show and tell.
There is still plenty of opportunity for the mentee. An opportunity to learn more about the process and procedures, as well as developing a deeper understanding of the how, the why, and the purpose.
When employees connect with the sense of purpose, they are much more committed to their job role. Not only are they more motivated, they are also more loyal.
People can memorize the lyrics to a song yet they don’t necessarily learn something new.
We often put things into our memory. We may memorize features about our car, the software we use, and the menu at the local diner.
All of this is not necessarily learning.
Learning is more involved. It was why you had to learn more about math and not just memorize your multiplication tables.
When workplace mentoring takes mentees to a more advanced level of learning, not just memorizing, it benefits everyone. Just like in math class, they may seek only the answers, but learning the how and why will help with knowledge transfer and inspire a commitment to action.
You may be a mentor or mentee, learning more will always provide a deeper and more impactful experience.
It is likely much more than just a job.
For everyone.
-DEG
Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSPTM), and culture expert. He is a five-time author and the founder of Appreciative Strategies, LLC. His business focuses on positive human performance improvement solutions through Appreciative Strategies®. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.
The psychology of work has never been more important. Worker engagement and performance need to be better than ever before and finding ways to build a high-performance team is more complicated that it seems.
The “do it or die” approach died long ago. While there may be still be pockets of this authoritarian approach it often only exists in the most remote rural areas where there are not many choices for employment.
Feedback on performance is critical to enhance the productivity and efficiency of the team. How feedback is delivered or experienced by the recipient will determine its effectiveness.
Is there a way to deliver feedback on what needs improvement without emphasizing the shortcoming? Some argue yes, some no, and some will say, “It depends.”
Novice feedback navigators will often suggest the sandwich method. It can work, but is only about as good as two-week-old pastrami.
This is where the psychology of work really comes into play. In simple terms, you’ll get more of what you focus on. For that very reason, it is more important to focus on good results instead of on poor or bad results.
Here is a great example.
A call center manager suggests that to improve agent performance she works with each agent on an individual basis. An agent who receives poor feedback or gets a call elevated to the manager is subject to some individual performance review. The review begins with listening to the recorded call. Then corrective action on the poor performance is suggested.
This is illustrating, highlighting, and comparing performance against the bad.
A better way is comparing to good performance.
A different call center manager decides morning huddles are an effective way to start the day. The huddles get everyone on the same page and positions the team to launch.
Appropriately preparing, this center manager listens periodically to some of the highest performers previously recorded calls and chooses one to highlight. In advance of the huddle she dissects the call looking for good moments of agent to customer interaction.
During the huddle she plays challenging parts of the previously recorded call, except she pauses the recording right before the agent interaction is delivered. During the pause she asks the team key questions, such as, “What would you do at this point? What would you say?”
This is a form of experiential learning, it invokes self-reflection. She asks openly for some reactions to her question and debriefs the whole group by highlighting the good, illustrating the good, and focusing on what went right.
In turn, her team delivers more and more of the good.
You get higher performing teams when you focus on positive performance instead comparing bad performance to good and asking for change.
That’s not all. When this performance management approach is used across time individual reflection starts to occur more often. It inspires learning and often employees start to self-identify short-comings on their own.
Consider that this a pull process, instead of push.
It is playing offense instead of defense. Both are important but be cautious of when, where, and how you place your emphasis.
-DEG
Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSPTM), and culture expert. He is a five-time author and the founder of Appreciative Strategies, LLC. His business focuses on positive human performance improvement solutions through Appreciative Strategies®. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.
What is your workplace opportunity? Does opportunity exist or are all things leveled up and there isn’t space or time for more?
It is an age-old story about big fish and small ponds. You know the one. The one that tells us it is easier to get noticed in small pond as compared to an entire ocean. Old news.
Yet, the small pond theory is certainly relevant.
Does Apple really have to market the iPhone 11 Pro Max? Many would suggest that they’ve captured the market. If they own the market, is marketing necessary?
The easy answer is, “Yes.”
Apple sells the first iPhone 11 Pro Max to someone, perhaps after throwing a few prototypes to VIP’s, and creating a lot of marketing hype. They may even forecast production runs at more than 45 million in a quarter.
Yet, it all starts with that first sales transaction. After all of the marketing, the hype, and the brand reputation sets expectations. Sales begin.
They are a big fish.
It may be true for your workplace too. It may directly apply to your career.
Often it is assumed that people will go to the well-known resource. There is often a presumption of trust. In addition, people believe that they know exactly what they are getting.
There are two paths connected to workplace opportunity. One suggests you follow the known path. Assuming it has been tested and explored, there is an expectation for outcomes.
The second or alternate path suggests you know the shortcomings and limitations and as such, you must seek an outside expert. Bring in new blood. The known must be worse than the unknown.
Navigating workplace opportunity has its challenges. Being in the right environment (right pond) is important but should never be taken for granted.
Being the big fish in the smaller pond seems overwhelming attractive. Yet, the big fish wasn’t always that big. Either that, or the pond was smaller.
You’re branding and marketing yourself everyday. Costs are higher for larger ponds. Even for big fish.
One step at a time without any shortcuts.
Every fish has the opportunity to choose their pond.
-DEG
Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSPTM), and culture expert. He is a five-time author and the founder of Appreciative Strategies, LLC. His business focuses on positive human performance improvement solutions through Appreciative Strategies®. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.
Is your career on track? Are you leading an employee department or team? What are you doing about knowledge acquisition?
I feel fortunate to meet so many new people through my work. Some are executives, some are front-line hard chargers. All of them face similar decisions about what happens next with their career or employee teams.
The first problem is how fast you are able to acquire it. Once you have obtained the knowledge, you can start making positive change. A long road to knowledge acquisition means you are wasting precious time.
The second problem with knowledge acquisition is what you do with the new knowledge. Knowledge gained, but not used, doesn’t have much value. Practice and application of new knowledge is critical for change.
Therefore, there are at least two questions you should be asking yourself.
How can I gain more knowledge faster?
How can I ensure it is practiced?
Whether you are considering your own individual career or the development of employee teams, these questions apply.
While there are not any real shortcuts, there are costs associated with opportunities missed. Learning can occur in many ways, how are you helping with forward progress? Have you hired a coach, a consultant, or attended educational opportunities?
What happens after a learning event? What will you give up in order to make room for something new? If you feel you are at or near capacity, you’re going to have to give something up.
Giving stuff up may be easier than you think. You can give up reliving past negative experiences. You can skip the energy it takes to participate in the workplace drama. Perhaps you have to stop fighting fires and start thinking more strategically.
Knowledge acquisition starts with an opportunity. What happens next is really up to you.
-DEG
Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSPTM), and culture expert. He is a five-time author and the founder of Appreciative Strategies, LLC. His business focuses on positive human performance improvement solutions through Appreciative Strategies®. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.
Workplace authenticity may be considered a core value. Are role models and leaders authentic in your workplace? Do organizational politics play a role?
In a recent seminar someone suggested that flexing your style is not a desirable attribute since you are not being the real you. The discussion point centered around workplace leaders serving as coaches.
Do you occasionally serve as a workplace coach?
Being a good coach is not about show and tell. A good coach is effective at inspiring change through questioning techniques.
Questioning techniques of course involve good communication skills and when you are working with your boss, a peer, or a direct report every situation may be unique. This uniqueness is what may require you to flex your style.
In my opinion, flexing your style to accommodate a situation and make things better is not the same as playing politics, being fake, or lacking sincerity.
Flexing your style means that you are willing to put in the emotional labor required to help improve the situation.
If your style is somewhat brash and direct, that won’t work for every situation. If your style is softer and more empathetic, that probably won’t work for every situation.
Working hard as a workplace leader to master the skills required to be a good mentor and coach means that with practice it will be the authentic you. Don’t confuse a strong work ethic that places value on harmonizing the workplace with a lack of honesty, integrity, or authenticity.
-DEG
Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSPTM), and culture expert. He is a five-time author and the founder of Appreciative Strategies, LLC. His business focuses on positive human performance improvement solutions through Appreciative Strategies®. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.
The truth is that people understand priorities. They may not always agree with them, but they understand the struggle. Suggesting, “I don’t know how I will fit that in,” is much softer than, “No, I’m not interested.”
People accept the passive response. It seems easier for everyone.
Acceptance of the excuse is often not ignorance. Nearly everyone recognizes that they have a few things that they would like to do, but they must limit it to only one at a time.
In the workplace, in our job roles, it may become a crutch. A way, a method, or a reason, to avoid doing something that you really don’t want to do.
Our jobs are more than our technical skills. Our jobs require emotional labor. Stepping up and doing the things that are hard and that challenge us takes energy. In order to lead, we must sometimes face doing the painful, the unattractive, and the unglamorous work.
It may feel easy to throw out an excuse and skip the meeting. We can sometimes make a decision about what work we will complete and what work we will suggest we don’t have time to accomplish.
Excuses are useless, except to dodge the real work to be done. In some cases, it is to avoid the requirement of emotional labor.
Many people, will rise to the minimum level of requirements. They’ll do just enough to escape the imposing threat of competition, the fear of the iron handed boss, or slip by for the moment only to dodge the assignment for another day.
Schedule conflicts are always about priorities. Some of them important, some of them an excuse.
-DEG
Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSPTM), and culture expert. He is a five-time author and the founder of Appreciative Strategies, LLC. His business focuses on positive human performance improvement solutions through Appreciative Strategies®. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.
The numbers are staggering. The number of people searching for jobs or career advancement may be at an all-time high.
It once was a lot of work to type a resume, a cover letter, and an envelope. Today it digitally happens in just a few minutes. It makes it easier and easier to apply. The reality is that it makes it even harder to be found.
Imagine I paint with watercolors, create masterful pictures with clever and inspirational messages, put a few in a frame and hang them on the wall in my office. How many people will know?
If I bake a cake, make a great Italian dinner, or grill a steak to perfection, how many people will know?
You might be the very best at what you do. You may be the next Tony Couch, Duff Goldman, or Seth Levine, but who will ever know if you aren’t visible?
Your next career move may have a lot to do with your resume, what is on it, how it looks, and the masterful use of keywords. It won’t mean much when the hiring managers asks the staff, “Who do we know that would be perfect for this job?”
I talk with and coach a lot of people who are frustrated with their attempt to make a career move. They are frustrated about their resume or wonder if their card is appropriately punched. These things matter, but they aren’t everything.
Who you know, or perhaps said in a different way, who knows you, may matter the most.
Have a well stacked resume, but think more about building your personal brand.
-DEG
Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSPTM), and culture expert. He is a five-time author and the founder of Appreciative Strategies, LLC. His business focuses on positive human performance improvement solutions through Appreciative Strategies®. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.
Frustrated workplace leaders discuss it with me often. They insist that they have instructed employees dozens of times, but still they do the wrong thing at the wrong time. Certainly, there may be many reasons for this, but one reason is that telling an employee may be different than helping them learn.
People love stories. Some of the best storytellers are in fact great teachers. Stories can ignite learning moments when listeners connect with it emotionally.
In other cases, people are stuck in their habits. They hear the story but they really aren’t listening to learn, they are only listening to hear. There is a difference in the outcomes.
What happens when you believe you know the answer? Do you suggest a different path for those involved, but still they make the wrong choices? Logic often suggests that we must tell them again.
Whether we like to admit it or not, much of the power in learning comes with an emotional connection. When people are open to change or they desire change, it can occur easily. Sometimes we have to create learning moments, that moment when someone else becomes captivated enough to be inspired for change.
Telling someone the answer is not nearly as powerful as when the person can evaluate why it is the best answer. Sure, we can teach to the test. When those being tested care enough to learn the answer, they can store it in their memory.
Many can argue, this is learning, but learning the correct answer is not always the same as understanding it.
This is precisely why advertising is designed to connect with your emotions. In the 1950’s or early 1960’s smoking was considered cool, and advertisers helped create that image. In the 1980’s we had the fried egg commercial that advised against drug use.
Today training programs or advertising campaigns may include gory safety videos, car accident scenes demonstrating outcomes of driving while distracted, or even active shooter programs that ignite fear in an attempt to make a difference for saving lives.
Sometimes the best way you can help someone learn is by helping him or her discover the answer, not by telling them.
Good advice can make a difference, but often, learning moments don’t come from the mere act of advice.
Advice connected with personal experience is often much more valuable. Help someone figure it out and you’ll create a learning moment that sticks.
– DEG
Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSPTM), and corporate trainer that specializes in helping businesses and individuals accelerate their leadership, their team, and their success. He is a five-time author and some of his work includes, #CustServ The Customer Service Culture, and Forgotten Respect, Navigating A Multigenerational Workforce. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.
